


Of Chocolate, Rivals and Best Friends

by Rin_1224



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23491834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rin_1224/pseuds/Rin_1224
Summary: Jun convinces Nino to tell Aiba how he feels on Valentine's Day and what better way to do so but with homemade chocolate.
Relationships: Aiba Masaki/Ninomiya Kazunari
Comments: 9
Kudos: 24





	Of Chocolate, Rivals and Best Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Background: Inspired by Soflan and Nanox’s cute Valentine post of Nanox (Nino) making chocolate for Soflan (Aiba) but Soflan not knowing which box of chocolates came from Nanox lol. The story is set in high school. Nino and Jun are first years, Aiba is a second year and Sho and Ohno are third years at the same all-boys high school. Sho, Nino and Aiba are childhood friends. Nino calls Aiba “Maa-kun” and Aiba calls Nino “Kazu-kun”. Since the story is in Nino’s point of view, Aiba will be referred to as Maa-kun for most of the story. 

“Jun, what am I going to dooooo?” Nino moaned, flopping down on his bed as he gripped his phone in one hand and hugged his stuffed animal shiba with the other.

“Wait, stop whining and tell me what happened,” Jun demanded from the other end.

“That traitor Sakurai is going to give Maa-kun chocolate for Valentine’s Day!” Nino growled, squeezing his shiba against his chest. His irritation grew when he realized Jun wasn’t saying anything. “Hello?!” he snapped. 

“Isn’t that _traitor_ the one that tutored you so you could get into this school?” Jun sighed and Nino could picture him raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow. 

“That is clearly besides the point right now!” Nino growled into the phone. 

“Okay okay. So what, Sakurai-kun is going to confess to Aiba-kun?” Jun asked curiously.

“Why else would he come up to me and tell me?” Nino sighed.

He closed his eyes, remembering how it all went down just an hour before. Nino had been watching the basketball team practice from the second floor balcony of the gym, as he always did after school on Wednesdays. He smiled as he thought of how Maa-kun waved at him at the start of the practice. 

But that day, it all went downhill from there. First of all, his space was being intruded by more and more people every day who seemed to have discovered it as a good hangout spot. And they were sooo noisy. They were disrupting his precious space and Nino was sure that if any more people began to hang out here, they would all get banned forever from this space by the scary basketball coach. Nino could only sit nervously in his corner every day, only reassured when Maa-kun would look up at him once or twice during his practice..

AND THEN just as practice was about to end, Nino turned and saw Sho-kun standing next to him, staring sternly at the people near Nino.

The guys immediately turned and began to whisper nervously about Sakurai-senpai.

Sho-kun cleared his throat. “You guys are being too loud and disrupting the basketball team. Please find a better place to hang out. There’s plenty of empty classrooms you can use.” 

“Sorry,” the guys mumbled as they packed their things and left. Nino stared at Sho-kun in awe. How did he always manage to swoop in and be his savior? 

“It helps to be the former basketball captain and student body president,” Sho-kun grinned, flashing him a killer smile.

“Overachiever,” Nino grumbled, taking back all the compliments he was showering Sho-kun with in his mind. “Are you here to kick me out too?” 

“I see you still come here every Wednesday,” Sho-kun said, seeming to ignore his question.

“You know it’s the only day. Otherwise, his practice runs too late and I have to go to cram school, or he has to help out at his parent’s restaurant. He barely has time to hang out anymore.” 

“That’s true…” Sho-kun said slowly. 

Just at that moment, Maa-kun happened to look up. His smile brightened when he saw the two of them, but before Nino could react, Sho-kun pointed at Maa-kun and began to make a gesture that Nino recognized as the sign the basketball team made to each other to encourage each other. Maa-kun beamed and did the sign back before turning to concentrate on their last drill. 

“What, are you here to compete for Maa-kun’s attention too?” Nino said sarcastically.

What Nino hadn’t expected was for Sho-kun to say yes. 

“Haha very funny…” Nino began to say but was stunned to find Sho-kun looking quite serious. He didn’t know what to say but could only watch as Sho-kun gripped the railing on the second floor balcony with a soft smile on his face as he looked down at Aiba going through rigorous drills with his teammates. 

“I’m sorry, Nino. I know how you feel, but Masaki’s precious to me too...I’m going to take my chances and give him chocolate on Valentine’s Day. I just thought I’d tell you.”

“You have to be kidding me…” Nino said slowly. But the expression on Sho-kun’s face...Guilt? Sadness? Nino couldn’t quite tell but it was clear that he was serious. “I...I can’t believe you.” 

“Nino…”

“I thought we were friends!” he said quietly, blinking back tears as he grabbed his school bag and fled. He had no idea how he managed to get home, but here he was. Tears filled his eyes as the feeling of being utterly betrayed rushed back and he furiously rubbed at his eyes. 

“Kazu…” he heard Jun say sympathetically. 

“...he knew this whole time how I felt…” Nino whispered. “How could he?”

Sho-kun had been the one to find and console him when Nino found out that Maa-kun had been offered a basketball scholarship to the same high school as Sho-kun. Nino had expected that Maa-kun would go to the local high school, and Nino had been planning on following him there a year later. But with a full-ride scholarship? There was no reason Maa-kun shouldn’t take it. But Nino wasn’t good at sports so there was no way he would get in with that kind of scholarship, and his grades were good, but not that good. Not when he had always been trying to get away with doing the minimum. But Sho-kun had convinced him that with tutoring and a lot of effort, Nino would be able to get in the following year. Nino was already devastated to be parted from Maa-kun for a whole year, but it gave him the push he needed to give it his all while they were apart. He couldn’t believe that after all this time, after all the effort that Nino had gone through WITH Sho-kun’s help to get into this school, that he was turning around and doing this to him.

“...well what are you going to do about it?” Jun asked and Nino snapped back to reality.

“What do you mean?” 

“Well doesn’t this mean he gave you a heads up so you could fight fair and square? Sakurai-kun is graduating in a month. He has nothing to lose.”

Nino let out a frustrated breath. Of course Jun would think of this as a positive thing.

“You have to tell Aiba-kun how you feel before Sakurai-kun does.”

“What?! NO!” Nino said immediately. What was Jun thinking?!

“Look, I was going to make Ohno-kun Valentine’s Day sweets anyway and your parents are both working right? So you have a free kitchen tomorrow. Alright, I’ll bring over everything to your house after school and we can make them together.”

“Make what…?”

“Valentine’s Day chocolate! It’s on Friday! You aren’t going to confess empty handed, are you?”

Nino couldn’t reply, unable to keep up with this sudden turn of events.

* * *

And so Nino found himself after school the next day in his own kitchen, completely lost as Jun bustled around him, prepping everything. Nino had been able to completely avoid Sho and Maa-kun all day. Maa-kun had sent him some worried texts, since Nino had left yesterday without a word which never happened. Nino lied about his mom calling him to run an emergency errand (he cringed so hard after he sent text but what’s done was done). Maa-kun responded “Okay then! See you tomorrow!” with some goofy smiling emojis that made Nino smile. 

But then Nino missed their group lunch because he didn’t want to see Sho-kun (Jun was really nice and stayed to eat lunch with him in the classroom) so he had to lie about being summoned by a teacher about class when Maa-kun texted him. And to be honest, Nino was thrilled that Maa-kun had texted, but was mad that he was the one causing him to worry. 

“Why are we even making the chocolate in the first place?” Nino asked, staring at all the ingredients and tools Jun had brought and prepared. 

Jun scoffed. “Do you think Sakurai-kun would make his own?”

A goofy image of Sho-kun in an apron burning down his own kitchen popped into Nino’s head and he grinned.

“Besides, you’ve been in love with Aiba-kun for _three years_. You think I’m going to let you give him some _store-bought_ chocolate?”

Nino couldn’t argue against that logic, not especially when Jun was already in his zone. “...fine,” he mumbled. 

"First, tell me why you like your Maa-kun." 

"You already know," Nino protested, but Jun was giving him the look that meant he wouldn't take no for an answer. "...I don't know...I...He's always been there for me you know? And he always puts me first in our friendship. We've always been together."

"And when did you know?"

"...After he was released from the hospital...when he had the crazy idea to look for four-leaf clovers in the park, that idiot gave me the only four-leaf clover he found with the biggest smile. Saying that he hoped whatever I wished for came true because if I was happy, he was happy..."

Nino bit his lip when he finished the story, blushing to the tip of his ears. Jun put a comforting hand on his shoulder. 

"Now pour all of those feelings into the chocolate, okay?" Jun said softly with a smile.

Nino nodded and took a breath. “Tell me what to do.”

* * *

Hours later, Nino flopped down onto the couch, too exhausted to move. Who knew making chocolate was going to be this much work? And yet Nino couldn’t help but feel that he had enjoyed it. Jun certainly knew what he was doing. He was, after all, the one that had started the competition-winning Sweets Making Club at their school. Everyone knew that Jun’s family owned the famous dessert shop in town, so no one was surprised at Jun starting the club. Some of their peers were very open about how much they thought the club was stupid, but not after the pretty science teacher agreed to be the club advisor. A lot of guys joined the club just to spend time with her and suspected that more than half of Jun’s motivation to make the club was because of her too.

But only Nino and their closest friends knew that all of Jun’s trial creations went to a certain Ohno Satoshi. Nino thought about how elaborate Jun’s Valentine’s Day gift had ended up compared to his. But he smiled when he thought about how Jun had even prepared him a white box with green ribbon and green frosting. Jun was such an amazing friend...even if he was a little bossy.

“So what are you going to say to him?” Jun had asked.

“I don’t know! Don’t ask me that!” Nino said, suddenly remembering what had started this whole thing and getting embarrassed. “What about you?” he shot back defensively. “Are you going to confess?”

Jun stared down at the mixing bowl. “If he gives me 10/10 tomorrow.”

Nino patted his shoulder encouragingly. It had all started about a month after the school year had started when Jun passed out the cookies he made during Sweets Club to the lunch group members right after they had started to eat lunch together regularly. Nino, Sho-kun and Maa-kun all said it was delicious but it was Ohno-kun’s nonchalant “7 out of 10” remark that turned Jun’s world upside down. Since then, Jun was determined to get a 10 out of 10 score but the closest he got out of all of his attempts was a weak 9 so far, amusing the lunch group members. But only Nino knew that Jun’s feeling went beyond just wanting Ohno-kun to approve of his sweets.

Nino had butterflies in his stomach as he crawled into bed after checking on the chocolate in the fridge one last time. He squeezed his shiba inu in his arms as he thought about how Maa-kun would react tomorrow. Would he be happy? Nino suddenly felt uneasy...what if Maa-kun rejected him? He knew Maa-kun wouldn't be mean about it, but what if Nino ruined their friendship forever? Would he be able to recover…when he only had one more full year to be with Maa-kun at this school? He tossed and turned all night, wondering if this had all been a bad idea, unable to predict what would happen the next day.

* * *

“You look terrible,” was the first thing Jun said the next morning when they met in front of the school gates. 

“Thanks,” Nino snapped. “You look…” but Nino couldn’t say it because Jun didn’t look terrible at all. In fact, he looked even more put together than he usually did and Nino hated it. 

“Do you think it’s too much?” Jun asked nervously. 

“Ugh no. You look perfect,” Nino grumbled. 

Jun beamed and ruffled Nino’s hair. 

“Come on, cheer up,” Jun said. “He’ll like it. I know it.”

“But what if...what if he says no?” Nino asked. 

“...then I’ll beat him up,” Jun said. 

“Really?” Nino giggled, surprised. “You’d lose to Maa-kun.” 

“...shut up,” Jun growled. “If you weren’t holding that fragile chocolate heart right now, I’d tackle you.” 

Nino felt lighter as they headed to class together. 

But Nino was feeling down by the end of the school day. He had caught a glimpse of Sho-kun walking down the hallway, laughing with Ohno-kun. Nino had completely forgotten that this had all happened because he had a rival. And that rival looked like he had nothing to lose. Nino refused to go to their lunch again and hid in an empty classroom, much to Jun’s exasperation.

“You better give it to him after school,” he demanded, and Nino nodded. 

After school, Jun brought him the chocolate that he had kept refrigerated for him in the Sweets Club fridge and didn’t miss the glum expression on Nino’s face. 

“You have to give it to him after school. Remember they don’t have basketball practice today. And you have to tell him, okay? Don’t chicken out.” 

But Nino was already chickening out. He was already angrily scolding himself for letting Jun talk him into doing this. After he parted ways with Jun, Nino left the box with the chocolate in it in Maa-kun’s locker. He scribbled “Maa-kun” on a scrap piece of paper and left it on top of the small box. 

But the further Nino pedaled away from the school, the more memories with Maa-kun flooded his mind.

Growing up in the same neighborhood. All the memories of spending time together, letting their imagination run wild in elementary school. When Maa-kun stood up against Nino’s bullies in Nino’s first year of junior high school, almost getting expelled until Nino provided proof of how badly he had been bullied. The moment in the second year of junior high school that Nino realized he was in love with him when Maa-kun was hospitalized with pneumothorax. When Maa-kun won him the stuffed animal shiba inu from the arcade after a million tries and presented it to him with the biggest smile despite how empty his wallet was now. How much Nino treasured the time Maa-kun set aside for him no matter how busy he was with basketball practice. 

Nino stopped his bike. He couldn’t imagine his life without Maa-kun. And it was always Maa-kun who was putting in effort for Nino, always Maa-kun who would come to Nino’s side when he needed him. He realized he didn’t want to give that up, even to Sho, not without a fight.  
  
At that moment, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he was overcome with dread. 

What if Maa-kun was calling to say he’d go out with Sho? What if Nino was too late?

Nino pulled on his phone and was relieved to see Jun’s name on the caller ID.

“The worst thing you can do is live the rest of your life thinking what if?” Jun said the moment Nino picked up. He gripped his phone tightly in his hand. 

“...I know.”

“I know I pretty much pushed you into doing this...but I really think you should tell him,” he heard Jun’s voice waver hesitatingly at the end. 

“I know,” he said more strongly this time. “I will.”

“Nino, we’re rooting for you!” he heard Ohno-kun say into the phone.

“Thanks!” he said, turning his bike around to head back towards the school. 

He felt his phone vibrate again. It was Maa-kun.

“Hello?”

“Kazu-kun, where are you? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” 

“...I’m looking for you too.” 

“Oh good! My practice just ended and I’m heading out. Where should I meet you?”

“Just stay there! I’ll meet you in front of your locker!”

“Okay. I just got here. Oh there’s something in here!”

“Wait!”

“Ah, it’s a box! Eh...there’s two of them?” 

Nino felt the color drain from his face as he hastily parked his bike and rushed into the building to see Maa-kun holding two boxes in his hand in front of his locker. 

“But it wasn’t there when I…” Nino clamped his mouth shut. 

“Eh, one of them is from Kazu-kun?” 

Nino felt like banging his head on the locker. Why was Maa-kun so quick to catch on to things at moments like this, and these moments only? 

“But...which one?” 

Nino’s head shot up at the unexpected question. What?

Maa-kun stared at him sheepishly. “I got too excited and dropped the notes on the ground” 

Nino stared at the boxes in Maa-kun’s hand. One was his, and the other was a red box with expensive looking wrapping. In Maa-kun’s other hand was Nino’s scribbled note as well as a pretty card with Maa-kun’s name on the front in familiar writing...and he could only think of one person it could be from.

Nino turned without saying a word and began to walk back out of the entrance. 

“Eh, Kazu-kun?!” he heard Maa-kun call after him. He clenched his fists and began to walk faster but he could hear Maa-kun clambering to catch up. 

“Kazu, why are you mad?” 

“I’m not mad!” he snapped as he grabbed his bike. 

Maa-kun fell silent and it just made Nino more irritated because he knew Maa-kun wasn’t saying anything because he knew he was mad. 

“...Can I come over?” 

Nino whipped his head back to stare at Maa-kun, who was looking at him hopefully. 

“Do what you want,” he said, hopping on his bike and pedaling quickly away from Maa-kun...which was pointless because Maa-kun was the star of the basketball team. But Nino wanted to feel like he had tried to get a head start. Maybe by the time they got home, Maa-kun would forget all about it and just not ask. 

Maa-kun pedaled next to him silently and Nino fought the urge not to glance over. He was grateful for the silence though. It gave him time to think. Should he just pretend like it had all never happened? The shock of Maa-kun not knowing which box of chocolate came from him was starting to wear off and now he was just embarrassed. 

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at Nino’s house.

As usual, the house was silent when they entered. Maa-kun took off his shoes and said “It’s been a while since I’ve been here, huh.”

“...I guess.” 

“...Are you still mad?” Maa-kun asked hesitantly as they entered Nino’s room and dropped their school bags on the floor. 

“...no,” Nino answered without looking at him. 

“Are you going to tell me which one’s from you?” 

Nino turned to see Maa-kun holding the white and red box. 

The red box was from an expensive chocolate brand. As expected of Sho-kun, Nino thought. And just for a brief moment considered answering the red one but the thought of Jun being furious came to mind. And as embarrassing as it was to admit it, Nino wanted Maa-kun to know that he had made the effort to make the chocolate so Nino decided to be honest. 

“...the white one.” 

Maa-kun hummed happily as he sat on Nino’s bed and opened the white one, placing the red box next to him on the bed. 

“Wow, it’s so cute! And it looks really good! Did you make this, Kazu?” Maa-kun asked in surprise. 

Nino nodded. “Jun helped me.” 

“Wow, as you’d expect from Matsujun,” Maa-kun said, taking the chocolate heart out of the box. The base was made from crushed chocolate cookies, which Jun had also insisted making from scratch, and the top was chocolate fudge topped with crushed peanuts and toffee. Nino had drawn a small green clover in the corner of the heart. “But it has Kazu-kun’s touch too.” 

Nino squirmed in his desk chair, embarrassed to watch as Maa-kun examined it carefully before taking a bite.

“Mmm it’s really good! Wow!!” Maa-kun exclaimed, staring at Nino with wide eyes. 

“...I’m glad you like it,” Nino said, staring down at his feet. He could feel the heat rising to his cheeks and knew his ears must be bright red by now. Maa-kun kept making happy noises as he ate, intermittently exclaiming how amazing it tasted.

“It’s a waste to finish it so quickly,” Maa-kun said sadly, staring at the last bit in his hand. “Kazu-kun, have a bite!” 

Nino blushed as Maa-kun held up the chocolate towards his mouth. It was big enough for Nino to take a bite without eating it all but too small for Nino to take from Maa-kun’s hand so he awkwardly leaned forward to take a nibble.

“It is good,” he said, surprised at his own creation. 

“You’ll have to make it again sometime,” Maa-kun beamed, taking the last bite.

“You have chocolate on your face,” Nino said, noticing the streak on Maa-kun’s cheek. 

“Eh, where?” Maa-kun said, rubbing the wrong side. 

“Here,” Nino said, standing up and stepping toward him to rub at Maa-kun’s face. 

What he wasn’t ready for was the soft look from Maa-kun as Nino looked down at him. Nino tried to move away but Maa-kun grabbed his wrists, pulling him closer. Nino’s heart was racing, not knowing what to do or think. 

“Kazu, I lied.” 

“Eh?” Nino squeaked, not expecting those particular words. What could Maa-kun have lied about? 

“I knew which one was from you.”

What?! 

“I read the notes before you came.”

“Then why?”

“...why did you give me chocolate, Kazu?”

“I...I didn’t have anyone else to give it to.” 

“Really?...I was happy thinking that Kazu made this heart just for me…” Maa-kun stared sadly up at him. “Was I hoping for too much? 

Nino took a deep breath. Was Maa-kun saying what he thought he was saying? He knew it was now or never to find out. “No, you’re right...I did.” 

“You did?”

Maa-kun’s hopeful expression gave Nino the final push and Nino stepped forward even closer to him.  
  
“Because I like you, stupid.” 

Nino found himself squeezing his eyes shut, afraid to hear what would happen next. 

What he didn’t expect was to be pulled into a tight embrace. 

“I like you too, Kazu.” 

Nino felt himself go stiff. What? “You don’t have to…”

“I’m sorry I made you say it first, but it’s true. I told myself I would tell you if we won our last game of the year next weekend. But then you seemed like you were suddenly avoiding me and I had no idea why so I thought maybe I did something and I lost confidence. But then today I saw your box in my locker and I thought...maybe I do have a chance.” 

Nino felt Maa-kun pull away and looked up to see his face. Maa-kun was looking at him with an expression he’d never seen before and Nino couldn’t breathe. 

“So let me say it properly. I love you, Kazu. I have for a long time and I wish I said it sooner... Thanks for waiting for me.”

“...stupid,” Nino mumbled, burying his face in Maa-kun’s chest as Maa-kun laughed, hugging him tightly. His heart was pounding so loudly he thought it would burst. 

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Maa-kun murmured into his hair. “I feel like it’s all a dream.”

“If I wake up and find out this was all a dream, I’ll kill you,” Nino grumbled, squeezing him tighter.

“Wow Kazu, don’t ruin the moment and say terrible things like that,” Maa-kun scolded. 

Nino stuck out his tongue at him and tried to get away from his embrace, but didn’t expect Maa-kun’s grip on him to be so tight. 

The sudden movement caused them both to lose their balance and Maa-kun fell forward, pushing Nino onto his bed.

“Ow!” Nino whined, bumping his head on the wall. And he felt like he had landed on something hard. 

“Ah, the other box!” Maa-kun exclaimed, digging it out from under Nino. 

The happy mood was ruined for Nino as he stared at Maa-kun open the box excitedly. 

“Let’s have some expensive chocolate, Kazu!” 

“I don’t want any.” Like he would eat his rival’s gift to his love. 

“Eh, but Sho-chan said I should share it with you.”

Nino stared at him. What did he just say?

Maa-kun smiled at him. “Sho-chan’s note said it was his gift to both of us and I should make sure I shared it with you and not eat it all myself.”

Nino leaned back and closed his eyes. He was helped by Sho-kun in the biggest way _yet again_. When would Nino ever see it coming? He felt terrible for all the awful things he said and thought about Sho-kun in the past few days and wondered if he could ever make it up to him.

“Kazu~” he heard Maa-kun say, and he opened his eyes to see Maa-kun putting a piece of chocolate into his own mouth. 

“Hmm, it’s good but not as good as Kazu’s.” 

“Really?” Nino couldn’t help but say. 

“Want a taste?” 

Nino was about to say no, when Maa-kun’s face got super close and he felt soft lips press against his own. Nino froze for a moment, but slowly closed his eyes when he realized what was happening. Maa-kun was _kissing_ him. _Since when did Maa-kun get this smooth?_ He thought when he tasted the sweet chocolate on Maa-kun’s lips. Was this how it would feel to die of happiness?

Maa-kun pulled away slowly and rested his forehead on Nino’s. 

“Mmm...but Kazu tastes the best,” he said matter-of-factly.

Nino immediately slapped him on the head and Maa-kun sat up, rubbing the spot in pain. 

“Ow, Kazu! No violence!” 

“Maa-kun!” 

“Yes yes, Kazu, do you want any more?” Maa-kun asked, popping another piece in his own mouth. 

Nino didn’t say a word but instead reached over to grab Maa-kun’s collar to pull him down for another kiss. Maa-kun seemed stunned for a split second but wasted no time tackling Nino back onto the bed.

Nino pretended to put up a fight but gave in when Maa-kun kissed him again and again, the taste of milk chocolate and caramel this time.

They both had stomachaches that night from eating way too much chocolate in one day and Nino had ten missed calls from Jun, but what Nino would remember was that their first kiss tasted of chocolate. And he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

**Author's Note:**

> What was supposed to be a quick drabble turned into this big thing haha...
> 
> I've read a lot of Japanese Ninoai fics set in their high school days (some of them are quite shoujo manga-like with Nino as the heroine haha) and was inspired to write one too.
> 
> Maybe one day I'll write some more from this story - Aiba's side of the story (Soflan did end up giving Nanox a gift in return for White Day after all!!), also maybe the Juntoshi side that turned out a lot cuter than I was expected. Gotta find out what score Ohno gave Jun! The Suezu friendship was also one of my favorite parts to write. I would love to write a full multi-chaptered fic but I'm terrible at committing to long-term projects...we'll see! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
